This invention relates to radiology and, more particularly, to a holder for supporting film for X-ray pictures of the extremities of the human body.
The taking of X-ray pictures is an often-used diagnostic tool of the physician. Such pictures are frequently taken to diagnose injuries such as fractures to the hand and to the foot. Due to the complexity of the physical structure of the hand and the foot, it may be desirable to take a number of pictures from different directions so as to better determine the exact nature of the injury.
Sometimes a diagnosis can be more readily made by holding or twisting the hand or foot in a specific direction. Accordingly, a number of devices have been disclosed for such purposes. By way of example, such devices are taught in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,146,913 of Piotrowski; 3,521,876 of Smith; 4,320,749 of Highley and 4,323,080 of Melhart. The devices set forth in the foregoing patents suffer from the disadvantages of being more cumbersome and complex than is required in many radiographic situations, or from lacking a device for holding X-ray film in a number of positions as is required in many situations.